Legal Protection for the Partnership Agreement Parties
Vol 26 No 1 (2026): June 2026

REGULATORY TRANSFORMATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN INDONESIA: NGF and MACTOR Analysis

Farid Mohammad (Natural Resources and Environment Management Graduate School, IPB University, IPB Baranangsiang Campus, Bogor, 16680, West Java, Indonesia)
Surjono Hadi Sutjahjo (Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Economics and Management, IPB University, IPB Dramaga Campus, Bogor, 16680, West Java, Indonesia)
Hefni Effendi (Department of Aquatic Management Resources, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, IPB University, IPB Dramaga Campus, Bogor, 16680, West Java, Indonesia)
Imas S. Sitanggang (School of Data Science, Mathematics and Informatics, IPB University, IPB Dramaga Campus, Bogor, 16680, West Java, Indonesia)
Dwi P. Sasongko (Environment Research Center, Institute for Research and Community Services, Diponegoro University, Semarang, 50275, Central Java, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jun 2026

Abstract

Since 1986, Indonesia’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA/AMDAL) regime has undergone successive regulatory reforms. The main problem is that environmental approval has increasingly shifted from a substantive environmental safeguard toward a more procedural and licensing-oriented instrument, raising concerns over declining assessment quality and narrower public participation. This study aims to evaluate the direction of that regulatory transformation and to explain the actor dynamics that sustain it. The study examines five major Government Regulations on EIA in Indonesia: GR No. 29 of 1986, GR No. 51 of 1993, GR No. 27 of 1999, GR No. 27 of 2012, and GR No. 22 of 2021. Using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, data were collected through regulatory document review, in-depth interviews with 9 senior EIA experts, and Focus Group Discussions with 25 multi-sectoral stakeholders. The data were analyzed through content analysis using the Next Generation Framework (NGF) and prospective stakeholder analysis using MACTOR (Méthodologie des Acteurs, Objectifs, Rapports de force). The findings show a clear policy shift from substantive environmental assessment to procedural efficiency, particularly under risk-based and digitally integrated licensing. NGF results indicate a decline in technical and participatory quality, while MACTOR reveals that proponents, EIA consultants, and government agencies are the dominant actors shaping regulatory outcomes. These findings imply that current reforms strengthen administrative efficiency but risk weakening the legal-protective function of EIA. The study recommends restoring substantive assessment criteria, improving data-validation capacity in digital systems, and expanding participatory rights beyond directly affected communities.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

al-risalah

Publisher

Subject

Economics, Econometrics & Finance Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Description

Al-Risalah Forum Kajian Hukum dan Sosial Kemasyarakatan particularly focuses on the main problems in the development of the sciences of sharia and law areas. It publishes articles and research papers concerning Islamic law, Islamic legal thought, Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic economic laws, ...